to be had, we set out without one an hour before sun-rise. After walking two or three hours, we met with an old man, who led us into a small path, near which was a line of blazed trees ( i. e. marked by cutting off part of the bark) by following which, he said, we might easily come to Port-Royal in five or six hours.

We were four in all; one of whom intended to go for England with me; the other two to settle in Carolina. About eleven we came into a large swamp, where we wandered about till near two. We then found another blaze, and pursued it till it divided into two; one of these we followed through an almost impassable thicket, a mile beyond which it ended. We made through the thicket again, and traced the other blaze till that ended too. It now grew toward sun-set, so we sat down, faint and weary, having had no food all day, except a gingerbread cake, which I had taken in my pocket; a third of this we had divided amongst us at noon; another third we took now; the rest we reserved for the morning; but we had met with no water all the day. Thrusting a stick into the ground, and finding the end of it moist, two of our company fell a digging with their hands, and at about three feet depth found water. We thanked God, drank, and were refreshed. The night was sharp; however there was no complaining among us; but after having commended ourselves to God, we lay down close together, and, I at least, slept till near six in the morning.

Sunday 4, God renewing our strength, we arose neither faint nor weary, and resolved to make one trial more, to find a path to PortRoyal. We steered due east ; but finding neither path nor blaze, and the woods growing thicker and thicker, we judged it would be our best course to return, if we could, by the way we came. The day before, in the thickest part of the woods, I had broke many young trees, I knew not why, as we walked along; these we found a great help in several places where no path was to be seen; and between one and two, God brought us safe to Benjamin Arien's house, the old man we left the day before.

In the evening I read French prayers to a numerous family, a mile from Arien's; one of whom undertook to guide us to Port Royal. In the morning we set out. About sunset, we asked our guide if he knew where he was? who frankly answered, No. However we pushed on till about seven we came to a plantation; and the next evening after many difficulties and delays; we landed on Port-Royal island.

Wednesday 7, We walked to Beaufort, where Mr. Jones, the minister of Beaufort, with whom I lodged during my short stay here, gave me a lively idea of the old English hospitality. On Thursday Mr. Delamotte came; with whom, on Friday 9, I took boat for Charles-Town. After a slow passage, by reason of contrary winds, and some conflict, our provisions falling short, with hunger as well as cold, we came thither early in the morning, on Tuesday the 13th. Here I expected trials of a different kind, and far more dangerous. For contempt and want are easy to be borne: but who can bear respect and abundance ?

Wednesday 14, Being desired to read public prayers, I was much refreshed with those glorious promises, contained both in the 72d Psalm, and in the first Lesson, the 40th chapter of Isaiah: Yea, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, and mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

In the afternoon, visiting a dying man, we found him still full of the freshest advices, and busy in settling the affairs of the Czarina, Prince Thames, and the Ottoman Port. How natural then is the thought

-Quæ eura nitentes

Pascere equos, eadem sequitur tellure repostos? For if a soul quivering on the verge of life, has still leisure for these impertinencies, one might almost believe the same dreams would continue, even in the sleep of death!

Friday 16, I parted from the last of those friends, who came with me into America, Mr. Charles Delamotte, from whom I had been but a few days separate, since Oct. 14, 1735.

Sunday 18, I was seized with a violent flux, which I felt came not before I wanted it. Yet I had strength enough given to preach once more to this careless people: and a few believed our report.

Thursday 22*, I took my leave of America, though, if it please God, not for ever, going on board the Samuel, Captain Piercy, with

*"In the beginning of the following May, Mr. Whitefield arrived at Savannah, where he found some serious persons; the fruits of Mr. Wesley's ministry, glad to receive him. He had now an opportunity of inquiring upon the spot, into the circumstances of the late disputes, and bear testimony to the ill usage Mr. Wesley had received, but adds, he thought it most prudent not to repeat grievances. (See Robert's Narrative of Mr. George Whitefield, page 56.) When he was at Charles-Town, Mr. Garden acquainted him with the ill treatment Mr. Wesley had met with, and assured him, that were the same arbitrary proceedings to commence against him, he would defend him with life and fortune. These testimonies of persons so respectable, and capable of knowing all the circumstances of the affair, coincide with the statement above given, and with candid persons must do away all suspicions with regard to the integrity of Mr. Wesley's conduct." Whitehead's Life of Wesley.

The following is copied from, "The Life of the REV. John Wesley, A. M., Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford; in which are included, the Life of his Brother, the REV. CHARLES WESLEY, &c. &c. By the REV. HENRY MOORE, only surviving Trustee of MR. WESLEY'S MSS. 8vo. 2 Vols. London, and New-York, 1824. American Edit.

But

There is a silence observed in Mr. Wesley's Journal in respect to some parts of this event, which it is possible has caused even friendly readers to hesitate concerning the propriety of his conduct; or at least concerning that propriety which they might be led to expect from so great a character. what has hitherto been defective, I am happy in being able to supply. The actors in this scene are now, we may hope, in a better world; the last of them died a very few years before Mr Wesley. I am not therefore bound, as Mr. Wesley thought himself, when he published the account, to let a veil

a young gentleman who had been a few months in Carolina, one of my parishoners in Savannah, and a Frenchman, late of Purrysburg, who had escaped thence with the skin of his teeth.

be thrown over this transaction: but rather to let "his innocency appear as the light, and his just dealing as the noonday."

"General Oglethorpe was, what is called, an excellent judge of human nature. He was also a man of courage and enterprise. He had enlarged views of what might be done, with proper instruments, on the wide continent of America. He had heard much of Mr. Wesley before he engaged himself as a Missionary, having been intimate with his eldest brother. But he saw, during the voyage, that the half was not told him. He saw a man of great ability, a man superior to every thing that usually captivates human nature. He saw

a man, as he thought, fit for his purpose. But Mr. Wesley's religion, or, as he termed it, his enthusiasm, the General lamented, as standing in the way. On their arrival, therefore, in Georgia, he resolved to try, if that obstacle was. not to be surmounted.

"Miss Sophy, the lady already mentioned, was niece to Mrs. Causton, the wife of Mr. Causton the store-keeper, and chief magistrate of Savannah, in which station he was placed by the General. In this lady, who had an improved understanding, and elegant person and manners, General Oglethorpe thought he had found a proper bait for this "soaring religionist." And as some of the greatest men that are recorded even in the oracles of God, have fallen by this snare, he had some ground to hope for success. But, in order to this, it was absolutely needful to detain him for some considerable time at Savannah. Whenever, therefore, he mentioned his uneasiness at being obstructed in his main design, that of preaching to the Indians, he was answered, "You cannot leave Savannah without a minister." "To this indeed," observes Mr. Wesley, "my plain answer was, I know not that I am under any obligation to the contrary. I never promised to stay here one month. I openly declared both before, at, and ever since my coming hither that I neither would nor could take charge of the English any longer than till I could go among the Indians. If it was said, 'But did not the trustees of Georgia appoint you to be minister of Savannah? I replied, They did; but it was not done by my solicitation; it was done without either my desire or knowledge. Therefore I cannot conceive that appointment to lay me under any obligation of continuing here, any longer than till a door is opened to the heathens; and this I expressly declared, at the time I consented to accept that appointment.

Miss Sophy had been some time before introduced to him as a sincere inquirer after the way of eternal life. After some time he observed, that she took every possible opportunity of being in his company. She also desired a greater intimacy, but modesty veiled her real motive under a request, that he would assist her in attaining a perfect knowledge of the French tongue.

After some time the General called upon him, and requested him to dine with him; adding, "Mr. Wesley, there are some here who have a wrong idea of your abstemiousness. They think that you hold the eating of animal food, and drinking wine to be unlawful. I beg that you will convince them of the contrary." He resolved to do so. At table he took a little of both, but a fever was the consequence, which confined him for five days.

* Her name was not Causton. Mr. Wesley told me her name, but I cannot recollect it.

Saturday 24, We sailed over Charles-Town bar, and about noon, lost sight of land.

The next day the wind was fair, but high: as it was on Sunday 25, when the sea affected me more than it had done, in the sixteen weeks

Now was the time to try if indeed "his heart was made of penetrable stuff." Notwithstanding an extreme reluctance on his part, (who would hardly suffer even Mr. Delamotte to do any thing for him,) the young lady attended him night and day. She even consulted the General what dress would be most agreeable to Mr. Wesley, and therefore came always dressed in white," simplex munditiis," as Horace said of his mistress, neatly, simply elegant. Those who have known Mr. Wesley," will forestall our judgment here: They well know what impression all this was likely to make. He was indeed as our great poet observes,

Of a constant, loving, noble nature;

That thinks men honest, if they seem but so.

How then must this appearance of strong affection, from a woman of sense and elegance, nay, and as it should seem, of piety too, affect him! Especially considering, (it is his own account,) that he had never before familiarly conversed with any woman, except his near relations. I hardly need to add, that, upon his recovery, he entertained his fair pupil with more than usual complacency.

But Mr. Delamotte had not learned, to (use a common expression of Mr. Wesley's,) to" defy suspicion." He thought he saw

Semblance of worth, not substance.

"He therefore embraced an opportunity of expostulating with Mr. Wesley; and asked him if he designed to marry Miss Sophy? At the same time he set forth in a strong light, her art and his simplicity. Though pleased with the attention of his fair friend, Mr. Wesley had not allowed himself to determine upon marriage;* Mr. Delamotte's question therefore not a little puzzled him. He waived an answer at that time; and perceiving the prejudice of Mr. Delamotte's mind against the lady, he called on Bishop Nitschman, and consulted him. His answer was short. "Marriage," said he, "you know is not unlawful. Whether it is now expedient for you, and whether this lady is a proper wife for you, ought to be maturely weighed." Finding his perplexity increase, he determined to propose his doubts to the elders of the Moravian Church. When he entered into the house, where they were met together, he found Mr. Delamotte sitting among them. On his proposing the business, the Bishop replied, "We have considered your case. you abide by our decision?" He answered, after some hesitation, " I will," Then," said the Bishop, " we advise you to proceed no further in this business," He replied, "The will of the Lord be done!" From this time, he behaved with the greatest caution towards her, and avoided every thing that tended to continue the intimacy, though he easily perceived what pain this change in his conduct gave her, as it did also to himself.

Will

Soon after this, one of those ladies already mentioned in this narrative, came to him, and related under a promise of secrecy, what I have now de

Dr. Whitehead affirms," he did intend to marry her, and was not a little pained when she broke off the connexion." I know that he ultimately broke it off; but I know also that he did not at any time determine on marriage. I had the whole account from himself; and I do not know, that he ever told it to any other person.

of our passage to America. I was obliged to lie down the greatest part of the day, being easy only in that posture.

Monday 26, I began instructing a Negro lad in the principles of Christianity. The next day I resolved to break off living delicately,

clared concerning the hitherto mysterious part of this event; adding these words," Sir, I had no rest till I resolved to tell you the whole affair. I have myself been urged to that behaviour towards you, which I am now ashamed to mention."

'During the voyage from England, Mrs. W., already noted, was extremely ill with sea-sickness, so that Mr. Oglethorpe gave her the use of his cabin and bed, which Mr. Samuel Wesley mentions in one of his letters as an act of great kindness. One morning she issued from her retirement in a state of apparent distraction. Mr. J. Wesley, who had taken much pains to impress her mind with religious truth, strove to calm the tempest in her soul, and exhorted her to pray. She exclaimed, "Pray! I cannot pray: God has cast me off." He replied, " Madam, you must pray." She again cried out, "I cannot pray! I cannot pray! I am lost." When we consider what companions the pious brothers had in their voyage, and the characters of those who were chiefly to form the infant colony, can we wonder at any thing that happened? She prefaced the communication which she afterward made to Mr. Wesley with observing, "Sir, it is said, a woman cannot keep the secret of another. It is strange, however, that I cannot keep my own: but I really cannot." It is no wonder that the General should say to Mr. C. Wesley, that “he had taken pains to satisfy his brother, but in vain." Mr. Wesley knew too much, and had a mind too well disposed, to be easily satisfied. But he still hoped for his friend, knowing the state of his mind, and the impossibility of his having power over sin while in that state. He also informed me, (and the record is before me in his MSS.,) that one of those ladies, (I am not sure which,) desired a private interview with him; and, after accusing him of having betrayed her, she attempted to stab him with a pair of long sharp scissors which she had concealed. But he caught her wrist, and after a great struggle, prevented her design.

Mr. Wesley kept his word, and cautiously avoided and concealed every thing, which could bring any inconvenience on this unhappy woman. He could not however behave to the General as he had formerly done. One day he dropped some expressions which made the General change his colour, and discover much agitation of mind. However, on recovering himself, he replied, in a very significant manner, "You observed yesterday the company of Indians that came into the town. The fellow that marched at their head, with his face marked with red paint, will shoot any man in this colony for a bottle of rum! Mr. Wesley did not think it proper to reply: but, to show how little he regarded the menace, he took a book out of his pocket, and beginning to read walked slowly towards his own house.

The next morning, as he was reading with his back to the window, he suddenly found his light obstructed; and turning round, he perceived the Indian standing at the window. He immediately stepped to the door, invited him to walk in, and spread before him the best food that the house afforded. And as he had learned some words of the Indian language, he cheerfully requested him to eat. The Indian for some time surveyed him from head to foot with great attention; then throwing down his gun, he seized him in his arms, and kissed him with the greatest eagerness. He then ate heartily, and departed